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Individual:
James O'Fallon: (1749 - bef.1795)
He was born in Athlone/County of Roscommon, Ireland and was educated as a physician, by the time he came to America, shortly before theRevolutionary War. He married, Frances ("Fanny") Eleanor Clark (daughterof John Clark & Ann Rogers) in 1791
at Louisville, Kentucky and they had sons: John B.(17911-1865) & Benjamin (1793-1842). Fanny was the sister of the "Father of the West", George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) & William Clark
(1770-1838) of the "Corps of Discovery ", both played a major role in clearing the way for European settlement ofthe northern half of the middle west.
James crossed the atlantic in (shipwrecked off the coast, shortly before the colonies revolted) 1774, going to Wilmington, North Carolina and in1776 found himself jailed, "as a man dangerous to the patriotic cause".During the Revolutionary
War, James served as a captain in the rebel calvary in 1777 and as a senior surgeon in Washington army in 1779. After the war he moved(1780's) from Philadelphia to Charleston, South Carolina with MajorPierce Butler & Alexander Gillon, later
settled in Louisville, Kentucky where he became involved with the South Carolina Yazoo Company.
In 1789 (the year the states unite under the Constitution & George Washington as President), O'Fallon found himself on "hot" real estate.The British in the western Great Lakes were sending allied northerntribes on raids into Kentucky, while
also on the brink of war with Spain and planning [Lord Edward Fitzgerald - Major of the 54th Reg't.- leaves Mackinac on what is presumed to be amilitary survey of the Mississippi from over 100 miles above the Falls ofSt.Anthony (probably to
Robert Dickson 's post at Sauk Rapids) to New Orleans] an invasion down the Mississippi to Spanish Louisiana. At the same timeAmerican settlers were depopulating Illinois Country for the safety ofthe west bank of the Mississippi
where the Spanish welcomed them with opened arms and free land. Mean while, the new U.S. government sends Lt.John Armstrong on a informationgathering mission to St.Louis & the Missouri River.
Late in 1789, Governor Telfair of Georgia and the colonies General Assembly, sold to the S.C.Yazoo Co. 5 million acres of land on the eastside of the Mississippi River (for $60,000) for the purpose ofsettlement. As the companies Agent General
& Attorney, O'Fallon was given the task of settling the land grant area. During the winter of 1789/90 he raised a volunteer army of settlers fromKentucky, formulating detailed plans for the colony. On 16 July 1790,James wrote to the Spanish
Louisiana Governor, Estavan Miro, regarding the plans of colonizing of the companies land grant, "...I have been extensively commissioned andsecretly charged, to negotiate with your Excellency and personally towait upon you, at New
Orleans...through the policy which I have urged them [the partners in the company] to the adoption of, with Spain, that they have unanimouslyfallen in with this plan, of uniting with the Spaniards...It is a factwell known and acknowledged
throughout the whole of this Western Country...that the inhabitants thereof, can derive no commercial or political advantage whatever, bytheir being subjected to Congressional Supremacy placed in the AtlanticStates; and that their last hope
of ever rising into any consequence, as a people, must be founded, on confederating, independently, among themselves, on the basis of aSeparate Sovereignty from that of the present Congress...the Companywill, at all events, push forward their
settlement, with system, precaution & force...The Company consists of Gentlemen of great fortune & reputation, highly connected and by theirdependants posts and Grants of lands to characters of weight and of thesame antifederal principles
with themselves, forming a chain of mighty interest from New York, from the very midst of Congress itself...All this I am clearly confident I canbe instrumental in bringing about, with the aid of our mutual friend,General Wilkinson...". On
December 17, 1790 James writes to Col.Brian Bruin, who resides in the Washitaw settlement near Natches, "...in the month of March, I expect tobe down in the neighbourhood of the Yazoo River, with a Regular Batallionconsisting of 750
privates...With these go between 3 and 4000 Militia men, well armed, with their respective familys...These are my recuits. Those of the Company areto start, about the same time, through the Creek nation, 2000 fromGeorgia, 700 from South
Carolina and 500 from North Carolina. Gen.MacDowell, Col.Farr & Major Christmas head the 3 divisions...Gen.[George Rogers] Clarke the IllinoisHero, is to command the whole, Regulars & Militia, when met. Gen.Sevier(now in Congress) is second
in command. The whole is under my direction...No colony ever settled, commenced with such force...". Again on December 21, 1790, James writesto Col.Bryan Bruin, "...our fixed purpose is, immediately to becomeorganized into a Separate
Government, like Vermont, unconnected with the Atlantic States, and to ally ourselves with Spain, offensively & defensively, as the impregnablebarrier of Louisiana, if they will have us...All we want of Spain, is asmall indulgence in our
trade and to unite with us, sincerely in reconciling the Choctaws & Chickasaws. If they do not, the British offer it. And if neither do it,Congress will attempt it. And if all fail, why, Congress, The Creeks andour own force will unite, in
exterminating them, should they prove hostile. But our first offer is to Spain...".
Early in 1791, O'Fallon's must of realized his plans were falling apart. He fires a letter off to Spanish Gov.Mira, charging him of inciting thecolonies neighboring tribes [Col.Bruin & Gen.Wilkinson, loyal to theSpanish, informed them of
O'Fallon's designs], than President Washington issued a Proclamation in the previous August "...against the whole enterprise..." and again inMarch a Proclamation stating, "Whereas it hath been represented to methat James O'Fallon is levying
an armed force in that part of the State of Virginia which is called Kentucky, disturbs the public peace and sets at defiance the treaties ofthe United States with the Indian tribes...that those who haveincautiously associated themselves with
the said James O'Fallon may be warned of their danger, I have therefore thought fit, to publish this proclamation here by declaring that allpersons violating the treaties and act aforesaid shall be prosecuted withthe utmost rigor of the law.
And I do, moreover, require all officers of the United States whom it may concern to use their best exertions to bring to justice any personsoffending in the premises...". In May of 1791, Washington is joined byThomas Jefferson in condemning
O'Fallon by his letter to the Attorney of the District of Kentucky, "Sir, A certain James O'Fallon is, as we are informed, undertaking to raise,organize and commission an army, of his own authority, and independent ofthat of the government,
the object of which is, to go and possess themselves of lands which have never yet been granted by any authority...with an avowed design to holdthem by force against any power, foreign or domestic...it cannot bepermitted that all the
inhabitants of the United States shall be involved in the calamities of war and the blood of thousands of them be poured out, merely that a fewadventurers may possess themselves of lands...they may be assured, thatif this undertaking be
prosecuted, the whole force of the United States will be displayed to punish the transgression..."
James may have not been concerned with these threats from the fledging government, for by this time the new United States had attempted toprotect it citizens by sending Gen.Harmar with 1,500 men into IndianTerritory to "chastise" the tribes
who were allied to the British, but this force was soundly defeated on the Maumee. Unable to deal effectively with the northern problemWashington sent Gen.St.Clair with a force to Natchez Country to oust thecolony and arrest O'Fallon (in
October of 1791 the Spanish Crown ordered his arrest from New Orleans). St.Clair was successful with his mission in the lower Mississippi butfailed in his mission to the north, where his army of 2,000 troops weredefeated (about 900 killed) by
the British allied northern tribal confederacy (led by Miami Chief Little Turtle ) at the headwaters of the Wabash.
The remainder of O'Fallon's life is still somewhat of a mystery to me but he apparently survived his squabble with the U.S. and is found practicinghis profession at Fort Steuben (the fort was ironically built on the OhioRiver in 1786/87, by
Maj. Hamtramck & an American Regiment, sent by the Continental Congress to protect surveyors mapping the Northwest Territories & to keep settlersout of the Ohio Valley). In February of 1793, his friend Thomas Painewrote him words of
encouragement to keep writing and in September of 1793 another friend, Anthony Wayne, writes offering him a position as Senior Surgeon for hisplanned punitive military expedition against the British allied northerntribes. By March of 1794
O'Fallon's estate is being distributed by his wills executor, William Crogan.
John Benjamin O'Fallon: (1791 - 1865)
He was the son of James O'Fallon & Frances E.Clark and married 1st.to Harriett Stokes and married 2nd.to Ruth Caroline Sheets. His childrenwere: Ellen, William, Harriett, Caroline (m. Dr.Charles Alexander Pope),James J. (m. Ann Harris),
Benjamin (m.1st.to Sallie Champe Carter & m.2nd.to Mary Shreve Carter), Henry A. & John J. (m. Caroline Mastin). His father died when he wasyoung and was raised & educated by his mother, step-fathers & uncles.
John fought in the War of 1812, rising to the rank of captain. After the war he returned to St.Louis where he became an assistant to his uncle,William Clark, who was Indian Agent there. He later contracted to theU.S. Army, furnishing supplies
and re-invested his growing fortune into promoting railroad ventures. He died at his home in St.Louis on 17 December, 1865.
Benjamin O'Fallon: (1793 - 1842)
He was the son of James O'Fallon & Frances E.Clark and married to Sophia Lee. His children were: Fannie C., John, William C. (m.Miss McCreary),Charles T., Emily R. & Ellen.
American troops arrived at Prairie du Chien in June of 1816 and constructed Ft.Crawford there. Benjamin later became the Indian Agent atFt.Crawford and a reference was made of him on 10 Feb.1818, "...A duelfought this morning between Mr
O'Fallon, Indian Agent and Lt.Shade of the garrison-the latter received the second shot in his under jaw-O'Fallon unfortunately(?) escapedwithout injury...". And on 16 feb.1818, O'Fallon the Amer.Ind. agent atPrairie du Chien writes; "...What
do you suppose, sir, has been the result of the passage through my agency, of this British nobleman? (Lord Selkirk)...Two entire bands, andpart of a third, all Sioux, have deserted us and joined (Robert) Dickson,who has distributed to them
large quantities of Indian presents, together with flags, medals, etc...A courier, who had arrived a few days since, confirms the belief thatDickson is endeavoring to undo what I have done and secureto the British govt. the
affections of the Sioux...Dickson, as I have before observed, is situated near the head of the St.Peter's, to which place he transports his goodsfrom Selkirk's Red River establishment, in carts...He is directed tobuild a fort on the highest
land between Lac du Travers and Red River, which he supposed will be the established line between the two countries. This fort will be defended by20 men, with 2 small pieces of artillery...". Benjamin goes north tocouncil with the Sioux,
returning to Prairie du Chien on the 28th of February. Again that spring O'Fallon leaves (10 April) Prairie du Chien with 50-60 soldiers for acouncil with the Sioux at the Falls of St.Anthony. In a letter written byDr.Samuel Peters at P.D.C.,
on 25 jul.1818, we find out what happened on this trip, "...Mr.O'Fallen, Deputy Indian Agent & Lt.Armstrong with 60 soldiers sailed in 2 armedboats from Prairie du Chien up the Miss. to River St.Peter by order ofLt.Col.Wm.Chambers to
intercept Col.Robert Dickson coming [as they thought] with 500 Indians to take the Fort and villiage of P.D.C. and they met Col.Dickson near RiverSt.Croix in 2 birch canoes with his wife & 3 children-when W.O.Fallonarrested Col.Dickson as his
prisoner & put him under a sergeant & his guard & sailed back to P.D.C. where he arrived on 27 april with his prisoner and after a salute to thegarrison the prisoner was conducted under a guard to the garrison & thereexamined by Col.Chambers
and then permitted to go to his family then in P.D.C...". Dickson was on his way from his post on Big Stone Lake to Prairie du Chien when arrestedby O'Fallon at the mouth of the St.Croix River, for having no passport -Dickson was sent to
St.Louis by Col.Chambers, on charges of attempting to alienate the Sioux to the U.S. Government. In May, Dr.S.Peters writes again of the incident,"...Col.Robert Dickson was married to Madam Elizabeth Weenenow & she wasbaptized the same day
Col.Dickson was ordered on board an armed boat under Lt.Armstrong and a guard of soldiers and W.O.Fallon and sailed a prisoner down the Miss. toSt Lewis 600 Miles there to be judged by Gov.Clark. I was informed by ______ that the articles
alledged against Col.Dickson were: 1) He had come within the U.S. without a passport. 2) He had traded with the Indians within the line of the U.S.3) He had engaged 500 Indians & more to join him to come & take thegarrison & village of P.D.C.
4) He was come a spy into the U.S. 5) He had furs and peltry coming down the River St.Peter which was contrary to law & of course were forfeitedto Congress of the U.S..." A letter written by Dickson (18 jun.1818) atGreen Bay reaches Mackinac
saying, "...he had been discharged very honorably by Gov.Clarke & he was waiting at Green bay for the arrival of his family which was dailyexpected & then he should be at Mackinaw - He added that O.Fallon wasdismissed from being Intendant of
Indians & Col.Chambers was ordered to attend at Washington..."
Fort Snelling was established at the mouth of the Minnesota River and a couple of years later Lawerence Taliaferro, the Indian agent at the newfort writes to Benjamin of Sacs & Fox attacking Southern Yancton nearO'Fallon and
Sisseton/Wahpacoota near the Blue Earth. Total of 60 Sioux killed & 12 prisoners - Taliaferro rescued a woman (Yankton) prisoner at Fox villagenear the lead mines. She was at agency awaiting the Sissetons & NorthernYankton arrival. The Sac
were claiming 11 prisoners at their village on the des Moines R.- they are attempting to possess the hunting grounds of the River Des Moines toit's source.
Council Bluff (Lewis & Clark held council with the Oto and Missouri Indians on August 3, 1804, which gave the locale its name of "CouncilBluff) was the site of the Upper Missouri Indian Agency, withheadquarters at Fort Atkinson. The agency
was managed by Benjamin O'Fallon and sub-agent John Dougherty. O'Fallon arranged for a delegation of Mexicans to visit the Council Bluff inSeptember 1824 to conclude a peace treaty with the Pawnee and in 1825 hevisited the tribes along the
Missouri and Platte with General Henry Atkinson to negotiate a hands-off agreement for Americans traveling to Sante Fe. Benjamin was present atthe treaty "...between the United States and their citizens, and theTeton, Yancton, and Yanctonies
bands of the Sioux tribe of Indians, the President of the United States of America, by Brigadier-General Henry Atkinson, of the United Statesarmy, and Major Benjamin O'Fallon, Indian Agent,...Done at Fort Look-out,near the three rivers of the
Sioux pass, this 22d day of June, A.D. 1825,..." [also present were: Maw-too-an-be-kin (the Black Bear), Wacan-o-hi-gnan (the FlyingMedicine), Wah-ha-ginga (the Little Dish ), Cha-pon-ka (theMusqueto), Ta-tan-ka-guenish-qui-gnan
(the Mad Buffalo), A. L. Langham, secretary to the commission, H. Leavenworth, colonel, U. S. Army, S. W. Kearney, brevet major, FirstInfantry, G. H. Kennerly, U. S. S. Indian agent, P. Wilson, U. S. S.Indian agent, Wm. Armstrong, captain,
Sixth Regiment Infantry, Wm. Gordon & Jean Baptiste Dorion , Interpreters].
Benjamin was one of the principal partners the Missouri Fur Company, headed by Dr. Pilcher and at the same time one of the most efficientUnited States Agents for Indian Affairs. He was largely instrumental inbringing about the treaties
between the U.S. Government and the various Indian tribes to the west & north of St. Louis. Benjamin and his brother John are mentioned asSt.Louis slave owners, in the "Narrative of William W. Brown, an AmericanSlave".
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